A Scrooge in Cutter Gap
by Kelsey Layne
Summary: Can't, or I'll give it away!


A Scrooge in Cutter Gap  
  
©by: Layne  
  
Doctor MacNeill had spent the long weekend at the McGrudder home. Mazzie McGrudder had a fever of 108( for two days. Near dawn the fever broke and Neil had spent the rest of the day at the McGrudder's to make sure Mazzie was through the worst of it.  
  
Once satisfied she would continue to get well without his help, Neil gathered his things and went outside. As he mounted Charlie he noticed a few snowflakes floating around him. He smiled unhappily and headed home.  
  
The night sky was covered in clouds and none of the winter moonlight showed through the trees. "Wonderful, I can't even see my own way home," he grumbled under his breath.  
  
As he crossed over Turkey Ridge the wind picked up and became colder. With every house he passed he realized how late it was getting by the lack of candle light in the windows.  
  
He came to an old bridge over and icy creek and Charlie stopped abruptly. "C'mon boy," he urged. "It's just Dandelion creek, you've crossed it hundreds of times."  
  
The horse nayed in defiance and stepped back from the bridge.  
  
"I don't have time for this, Charlie. It's late and getting colder." Neil nudged him in the side with his boot. "Let's get home an' you can have some warm hay for supper." Charlie's ears pricked, but he stayed still. Neil became frustrated and jabbed his horse in the side. Charlie reluctantly started across the bridge. "That'a boy."  
  
Half way across the worn planks Charlie became fidgety. Some wolves called in the distance and spooked Charlie Neil's animal reared up, knocking him off and sending him to the icy creek below.  
  
Neil opened his eyes and looked for Charlie. His horse was no where in site, nor was the bridge. He suddenly realized he was no longer outside, but was in a dimly lit warn room. He could hear voices milling about. "Hello?"  
  
"Neil, you're awake," came a woman's voice.  
  
"Christy?"  
  
She chuckled. "No," she said coming into view.  
  
"Margaret?" His eyes were wide in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, Neil."  
  
"But you're-"  
  
"-Dead; yes." She smiled at his look of confusion. "You're not dreaming, Neil. Think of this as some sort of vision."  
  
"I don't understand. Am I dead?"  
  
"No," she cooed. "You were riding home when Charlie bucked and you fell into the creek. You're at the mission now, and a bit delusional. But I assure you that your seeing me is real."  
  
"Why, though, am I seeing you?"  
  
"Neil, there is so much happening in your life in this beautiful season, but you can't look beyond your hurt and painful memories. I'm here to get you beyond that. Christmas is a time for memories, not for brooding."  
  
"Christmas is just a ridiculous Christian holiday."  
  
"You haven't always thought that way."  
  
"That was before I met you, woman!"  
  
"You see? You let that consume you and you ignore everything you loved as a boy.," He had a fierce look on his face. "Close you eyes, Neil."  
  
He started to protest, but she held up a hand and he reluctantly obeyed. He felt a cool breeze about him for a moment. "You may open your eyes now."  
  
He opened his eyes and found himself sitting at the table in his own cabin. A man and woman were sitting by the fireplace with a groggy little boy in front of them. "Mother and Father?"  
  
"Yes, Neil. This is your seventh Christmas, the year your father gave you your first fishing pole."  
  
He smiled delightfully at the surprise on his younger self's face when he tore open the present from his father.  
  
"So my happy memories are meant to erase the bad, are they," he asked as the smile faded from his face.  
  
"No, but they are to remind you." He turned back to the scene, but it had changed. He now saw himself as a young man. His parents were gone and his Aunt Hattie was there to share Christmas with him. "You made her so happy that year."  
  
"Yes, she had just lost the last of her close kin. I wanted to take her mind off her losses."  
  
"What you do for others you cannot even do for yourself."  
  
Neil turned and glared at her. "That was the last Christmas before I met you," he hissed.  
  
She looked down in guilt. "I cannot change that to make you happy, no matter how much I want to."  
  
He turned back to the small living room and found it empty. When he turned to speak to Margaret he found her gone, also.  
  
He stood and looked around the room. It was completely empty, except for him. Someone knocked on the door.  
  
He opened it. "Grantland?"  
  
"Hello, Doctor."  
  
"I get the distinct impression you're another part of this illusion." David nodded. "Don't tell me you're the 'ghost of Christmas Present'."  
  
David shook his head. "No; I'm your future."  
  
"Oh, even better," Neil said sarcastically.  
  
They were in the church now. The pews were filled with people from the cove.  
  
David pointed to the front. "You and your blushing bride at the alter."  
  
Neil looked at the bride but could not see her face. "Who is she?"  
  
"You know the answer to that."  
  
He looked at David questioningly. "I do?"  
  
"By the power vested in me," Neil looked about and found himself suddenly at the front of the church, standing beside the bride, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Neil reached for the veil. David put his hand on Neil's shoulder, "Remember, this is your future, Doctor."  
  
Neil lifted the veil.  
  
Neil opened his eyes and saw Christy. He was back in bed at the mission.  
  
"Neil, you're awake," Christ said happily. "I'll go get Miss Alice." She rose and left the room.  
  
While she was gone he thought about his visitors. He was confused. His past and future had been shown to him, but what about his present? And who was to be his future bride?  
  
Miss Alice came into the room with Christy and David behind her.  
  
"Thank God you're all right, Neil. Thee gave us quite a scare there. It's a miracle Ben Pentland even found you, let alone made it through the weather himself."  
  
"Yes," David agreed. "It's been quite a Christmas day, thanks to you."  
  
"Well, I for one am not going to complain about the weather," Christ spoke up. "I'm just surprised that Uncle Bog is still insisting on having a Christmas party tonight."  
  
Neil had yet to say anything and realized how abnormal the silence was for him. "I thank you all for the care," he said sitting up. "But I'm sure I have patients of my own who need caring for now."  
  
"Not at all, Neil," Miss Alice said. "Not a single soul has come calling for our good doctor. We expect you to spend the rest of the day here in bed and for you to join us at the party tonight."  
  
Neil started to protest but stopped himself when he remembered his visitors. It had been so long since he had enjoyed Christmas, perhaps it was time to start again. "If that's how you want it, Alice, then I'll stay for you."  
  
Christy looked at him with shock; it wasn't like him to give in without a fight, or to give in at all.  
  
The music trailing throughout the Mission was loud and cheery. Jeb Spencer and David had a sort of competition going on. While Jeb's fiddle led the music, David was hard pressed to make his ukulele barely audible.  
  
Christy hovered around the refreshment table helping when she could.  
  
"Teacher," said Creed Allen beside her.  
  
"Yes, Creed." She knelt down to look him in the face.  
  
"I got a present for ya, teacher." He held up a box to her. There was air holes carved in it and whatever was inside was moving around. Christy took the box and pulled of the lid.  
  
She smiled and laughed gleefully. "Oh, creed, how sweet!" She lifted a baby coon out.  
  
"It's a kit, Teacher. Like Scalawag were when I got him. Ya gotta name him now."  
  
"Well, indeed I do. What do you think of Fidget?"  
  
"I think it's a right good name for a coon." Christy smiled and Creed ran off to join his friends.  
  
She held the coon up and looked at it's tired little face. "Well, Fidget, it looks like you get to help me with the refreshments." Christy looked out at the dancers and party go-ers while humming to the music.  
  
She noticed Neil coming down the stairs and watched as he made his way to her.  
  
"Evening, Miss Huddleston."  
  
"Good evening, Neil. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Quite well. I see you've got a new little friend there," he said reaching to pet the little coon.  
  
"This is Fidget. He's a present from Creed."  
  
"He seems more like a Sleepy," Neil said taking him into his hands. "What do you say we find a resting spot for you," he said to Fidget. "That way I can dance with your lovely new owner."  
  
Christy smiled as Neil found a box in a corner, took a handkerchief from his pocket to make a bed, and placed Fidget inside.  
  
"May I have this dance, Miss Huddleston," he asked holding out his hand.  
  
"You may, Doctor MacNeill."  
  
Neil led her thru the crowd and they began to dance. Halfway through the dance he looked down at Christy. Her eyes were shining with the candlelight dancing in them. "You know, I had the strangest dream this morning." Christ looked at him with interest. "I was visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past and Future."  
  
"Oh really," Christy teased. "Did you like what they showed you?"  
  
"It was an interesting trip down memory lane. The Future looked a bit like Grantland." Christy laughed. "But it was very enlightening."  
  
"What about the present? Did that ghost visit you?"  
  
"Not exactly, but I discovered it when I opened my eyes. I saw an Angel standing beside me. She had the bluest eyes and a wonderful look of excitement on her face. Then I realized something, this angel was no real angel sent from Heaven, but the woman I had fallen in love with." Neil lifted Christy's chin to look into her eyes. He brushed some stray hairs from her face. "I only hope I can be enough fore her."  
  
Christy realized what he was saying and began to blush. Neil leaned in and kissed her. 


End file.
